One To Watch - Pakenham

Mark Smith - Tuesday August 18

The optimistically named Best Ever is bred to be something a bit special and he made the perfect start to his career with a professional performance in a 1400m maiden on the Pakenham Park synthetic on Tuesday.

Royally-bred Best Ever makes a winning debut at Pakenham (Natasha Morello/Racing Photos)

Ridden by Luke Nolen for trainer Peter Moody, Best Ever rode the early speed set by Moving Day before safely holding the challenge of Queen Of Rocks (Fastnet Rock) by three-quarters of a length with the same distance back to Kumo Sun (Fighting Sun) in third.

Advertisement

Carrying the colours of his breeder John Singleton, Best Ever is a son of the 4-time Champion Sire Of Australia, Snitzel, out of Singleton’s 8-time Group 1 winner More Joyous (More Than Ready).

In a fabulous career that saw her win 21 of her 33 starts ( 8 G1, 9 GII, 1 GIII and 2 Listed) while banking over $4.5 million, More Joyous has earned the right to be courted by the best around.

Her first foal, Woman, was by the undefeated champion Frankel.

After making a winning career at Canterbury back in 2017, Woman only made three more appearances, placing at Pakenham and Sandown.

A failure at Sandown in April last year brought a premature end to her career and she visited Snitzel last spring.

More Joyous as most remember her in her heyday (Mark Smith)

The second foal of More Joyous is the Fastnet Rock gelding More Sundays who had just one win in five starts for Lindsay Park and has recently been transferred to Sam Kavanagh.

Best Ever is the third foal of More Joyous who has 2yo sister to Best Ever named Joyous Legend.

After missing to Fastnet Rock in 2018, More Joyous made her second trip to Europe where she was covered once again by Frankel.

The daughter of More Than Ready (USA) out of the Group 1 AJC Australian Oaks heroine Sunday Joy (Sunday Silence) is due to foal in late October.

Advertisment

Race Result - Magic Millions Mdn Plate 1400m

Pakenham Synthetic Track: Synthetic Time: 1:28.24
1
Best Ever
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: L Nolen 57
2
0.8
Queen Of Rocks
- 3f Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Dowager Queen (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: T Dabernig & B Hayes Rdr: W Pike 55
3
1.6
Kumo Sun
- 4m Fighting Sun (AUS) x Web Of Love (AUS) (Show A Heart (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: Michael Poy 57.5
4
2.5
Moving Day
- 4m Turffontein (AUS) x Carlie Rose (AUS) (Keltrice (AUS))
Tnr: M Ellerton & S Zahra Rdr: Damien Thornton 57.5
5
5.2
Lord Wonder
- 4g Shocking (AUS) x Princess Wonder (AUS) (Desert Prince (IRE))
Tnr: E Jusufovic Rdr: M J Dee 59.5
6
5.5
Miss Conspicuous
- 4m Smart Missile (AUS) x She's Pretentious (AUS) (Royal Academy (USA))
Tnr: Michael Huglin Rdr: Ben Allen 57.5
7
5.9
Virginia
- 4m Equiano (FR) x Cait Colleen (AUS) (Carnegie (IRE))
Tnr: Shane Stockdale Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 57.5
8
7.2
Magic Kappy
- 4m Kaphero (AUS) x Riverina Magic (AUS) (Duke Of Marmalade (IRE))
Tnr: I R Jones Rdr: Dean Holland 57.5
9
8.7
Statue Of Dreams
- 4m Statue Of Liberty (USA) x Isle Of Dreams (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: M Croston & G Gilmour Rdr: J Bowditch 57.5
10
15.7
Rittenband
- 4g Polanski (AUS) x Baby Nation (AUS) (Archway (IRE))
Tnr: Aaron Laing Rdr: B Rawiller 59.5
More Reading...
People at Magic Millions - Day 2
Day two of People At Magic Millions and Maree is putting vendors on the spot to name a highlight.
Pierata 3YO Wins $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden
Spanish Treasure landed a handsome payday on Saturday with a win in the $250,000 Carbine Club Queensland Magic Millions Maiden Plate at the Gold Coast and trainer Tony Gollan will now contemplate a start in next Saturday’s $3 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas with the improving gelding.
Savabeel Mare Salutes for Waikato Stud
Waikato Stud’s homebred mare Sun Gift continued her strong run of summer form with another victory in the A$130,000 Honouring Our Jockeys Plate (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Itchintogo Towards $3m Magic Millions 2YO Classic
Successful in the Listed BRC Phelan Ready Stakes (1100m) last start, Tony Gollan sent Itchintogo (Sun City) to Saturday’s $150,000 Aquis Gold Nugget QTIS 2YO (1100m) at the Gold Coast where he utterly dominated his rivals as favourite, highlighting his chances in next Saturday’s $3m Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m).
Adelaide Cup Goal for Bargain Tarzino Mare
Trainer John Sadler has the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) in mind as a potential target for Tarvue after her tenacious victory in the A$130,000 Off The Track Trophy (1800m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Disneck Dominant in G3 Standish
Five year-old gelding Disneck was the very first winner for Trapeze Artist when he won at Rosehill as a pre-Christmas 2YO and three years on he’s never been going better with a barnstorming win in the $200,000 Group III VRC Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday his first stakes win.
Bozo Wins Kumara Gold Nuggets - Half-Sister Inglis Classic
The in-form combination of rider Floor Moerman and trainer Kevin Myers delivered in spades once again on the West Coast circuit as quality mare Bozo produced a mammoth staying performance to claim the time-honoured Vernon & Vazey 0800 Truck Parts Kumara Gold Nuggets (1810m) on Saturday.
All Eyes On Young Gun Sires at Karaka 2026
New Zealand is in the fortunate position of having an outstanding group of young stallions starting to make their mark, and the progeny of these exciting up-and-comers will be in demand at Karaka 2026.
King’s Legacy Metro 2YO Quinella
The standalone metro meeting at Wyong on Saturday had an early start due to the heatwave and also a long shot winner with unheralded King’s Legacy colt Audit claiming the prize over race favourite Royal Exile.
Sires With Winners - Friday January 9
Here is the full list of 62 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.